Former Brentford captain Tony Craig - currently 38 and playing in the National League for Dorking Wanderers - believes that he'd "be retired now" if it wasn't for his move to the Bees in 2012.
In the latest edition of the On the Rise, Craig discusses how the transition he made from full-back to centre-back, as well as his improvement on the ball during his time in west London, helped to prolong his career.
Craig explained: “I wanted to change to being a centre-half from a left-back. I watched games and saw how the full-back game was progressing; how there was a lot more forward play and they were better on the ball - and that wasn’t my strength.
“My strength was being a good one-on-one defender, putting my body on the line, so it was a risk from me and Uwe Rösler because he hadn’t seen much of me as a centre-half, but he had the belief in me that I could make the transformation. He wanted a leader on the pitch and he saw me as that.
“I started off slow and I knew that, but I remember looking at my stats after a game against Tranmere and that gave me the confidence to not look back.
“If I didn’t make that move to centre-half, I’d probably be retired now, but for the talent I’ve got, I think I’ve exceeded it tenfold and that is by working hard and making sacrifices.
“When we signed James Tarkowski, I think that was the only time I went home to speak to my family and said, ‘I’m in a bit of trouble here!’ and I was probably right to say it when you consider the career he’s gone on to have!”
He added: “Did I ever think I’d play in a possession-based team? No, not in a million years did I think I’d be a part of one, but also be capable of playing that way. It just shows what, with hard work, dedication and belief, you can achieve."
Read the rest of this interview in Saturday's match programme; available online and around Gtech Community Stadium for £3
Also inside your Brentford v Arsenal programme
“The Gtech under the lights is a special place to be, so please make your voices heard and create an atmosphere that the players can thrive in” - Head coach Thomas Frank shares his thoughts before the Gunners' visit to TW8
Big Ben Burgess’ Big Match Preview
Kaya Kaynak, Arsenal correspondent for football.london, takes us inside the Arsenal camp in Hot off the Press
The Nathan Caton Column
With a third of the season gone, Playmaker Stats have detailed Brentford’s 2023/24 campaign, analysing the statistics from each game this term, as well as how Thomas Frank’s side are continuing to evolve and improve
Benjamin Fredrick discusses his move from Nigeria to Brentford earlier this year. After struggling to find the money to buy football boots as a youngster in Africa, the 18-year-old now has ambitions of playing Premier League football
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